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Microsoft Patents A Modular PC With Stackable Components (venturebeat.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the modular-computing dept.

Microsoft has patented a "modular computing device" that would enable people to put together the exact PC components they want, allowing for replacement of certain parts rather than forcing people to buy entire new computers when they want upgrades. Microsoft applied for the patent in July 2015, and it was published earlier this week, on February 11.

7 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. prior art? by ihtoit · · Score: 4, Informative

    EISA/ISA/PCI/PCIE/MCA/LPC/NuBus/PATA/SATA/PB/GSC/HSC/VLB/VME/QBus?

    I know there's a LOT I've missed out, but you get the point. I've been building my own PCs since 1988. All using modular components.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    1. Re:prior art? by Irate+Engineer · · Score: 4, Funny

      EISA/ISA/PCI/PCIE/MCA/LPC/NuBus/PATA/SATA/PB/GSC/HSC/VLB/VME/QBus?

      I know there's a LOT I've missed out, but you get the point. I've been building my own PCs since 1988. All using modular components.

      Yeah, but did you patent the process? No?

      MS will be cracking down on this sort of socialist hooliganism, get ready and assume the position!

      --

      Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!

      Vote for Bernie in 2016!

    2. Re:prior art? by AJWM · · Score: 4, Informative

      It also has to be "non obvious". Stacking boxes is about as far from non-obvious as you can get, even chimpanzees can do it.

      --
      -- Alastair
  2. PC/104 by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://pc104.org/

  3. Nice by Koby77 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Congradulations on inventing the Sega32x!

  4. Re:Where's the patent? by davester666 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really, Project Ara + a practitioner skilled in the field should == invalid patent.

    For the the US patent office, they will likely assign someone who has never used a computer before, and will believe MS has described some kind of magic machine.

    --
    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  5. Re:Where's the patent? by gweihir · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sounds like a rip-off of PC-104, i.e. they are a few decades late.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.